If you happen to be in Seattle, Washington and are looking to combine your stay in the city with some quick day trips, we’ve compiled a few ideas for you. Seattle is surrounded by mountains and evergreen forests, and islands. Moreover, there are three National Parks in the proximity to the city! But if you only have a day to explore the area and cannot afford a long trip, don’t worry! Here are some suggestions for short day-trip destinations from Seattle.
Destination #1 – Bainbridge Island
Bainbridge Island is a little island city located west of Seattle in the Puget Sound Basin. It is only a short 30-minute ferry ride from Seattle.
Getting to Bainbridge Island
To get to Bainbridge Island from Seattle, you need to take a Seattle-Bainbridge Island Ferry departing from Seattle Ferry Terminal. There are multiple departures daily, and arriving at least 20 minutes prior to your ferry departure time is recommended.
💡 Good to Know
Some things to consider while taking a ferry to Bainbridge Island:
- You can purchase tickets for the ferry between Bainbridge Island and Seattle either online or at the booth before departure.
- You can take a ferry ride both as a pedestrian on foot and with your vehicle.
- Pedestrians must pay for the trip from Seattle to Bainbridge Island but can enjoy a free ferry ride from Bainbridge Island to Seattle.
- Bainbridge Island Ferry does not offer reservations, and all tickets must be obtained on a first-come, first-served basis.
- You can use Single-Ride and Multi-Ride Tickets tickets for up to 90 days from the date of purchase.
- While purchasing a ticket with a vehicle, you only need to pay for additional adults (excluding the driver).
- In total, we paid $29 for the four of us one way from Seattle to Bainbridge while taking a ferry ride with our car.
The ferry ride itself was an adventure; our girls enjoyed being out in the water. Note that even on a warm day, it can be windy and chilly on the dock, so remember to bring your jacket.
Since we decided to explore the area further, we took our vehicle with us on a ferry. If you are only visiting Bainbridge Island, you can absolutely explore this little island on foot.
Top 10 kid-friendly things to do in Seattle, Washington
Recently our family spent a few days in Seattle, Washington. Seattle is famously known as the birthplace of Starbucks and grunge music, and it’s a major technology hub with the headquarters of Amazon and Microsoft. It’s located in the Northwest part of the U.S. and is beautifully surrounded by mountains, evergreen forests, and water.
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Dining in Bainbridge Island
Proper Fish
We arrived in Bainbridge Island around noon and ventured on to grab a bite at one of the famous local restaurants. Even coming at 11:30 am, the waiting time to get your food was around 45 minutes, so plan accordingly. While the fish (from the fish and chips) was proper and delicious indeed, the lobster roll was so-so 🤷🏻♀️.
Mora iced creamery
Stop at Mora Iced Creamery and treat yourself to one of the dozens of flavors of ice cream, sorbets, or milkshakes available.
Blackbird Bakery
Try the local bakery with various pastries and pies (their specialty is Bluebarb pies and Rhubarb Custard tarts) and coffee.
Things to do in Bainbridge Island
1. Take a stroll down the Main Street
Enjoy a stroll in Downtown Bainbridge Island with its multiple cafes, wine-tasting rooms, and shops. We stumbled upon a cozy public seating area and settled in to relax, enjoying the live band’s performance, as well as some coffee and pastries from a nearby bakery.
2. Shop at boutiques
You can shop at one of the local boutiques for souvenirs, gifts, and apparel. During our visit to a local shop, we discovered an interesting fact about Bainbridge Island: it happens to be the birthplace of Pickleball, a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong 😃.
3. Visit Bainbridge Museum of Art
Visit Bainbridge Museum of Art, located just five minutes away from the Ferry Terminal. At Bainbridge Museum of Art, you can discover the contemporary art and craft of the Puget Sound Region. This museum has free admission and is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm.
Destination #2 – Poulsbo
It reads “Velkommen til Poulsbo” when you enter this little town. Colorful Scandinavian-themed Poulsbo, founded in 1880th, is considered Little Norway of Washington and was once inhabited by Norwegian immigrants.
Getting to Poulsbo
If you are planning to combine your visit to Poulsbo with a visit to Bainbridge Island, you must first take a short 30-minute ferry ride from Seattle to Bainbridge Island and then continue with a 20-minute car ride. This option obviously requires you to take a ferry ride with your vehicle (read about Seattle-Bainbridge Island Ferry here). You can also use public transportation from Bainbridge Island to Poulsbo.
As another option, you can take a Seattle-Kingston Fast Ferry and then use public transportation to get to Poulsbo.
Alternatively, you can take a longer route and drive from Seattle straight to Poulsbo, skipping the ferry altogether. This option would take around 1 hour and 30 minutes, and it will take you through Tacoma.
Dining in Poulsbo
Poulsbo is filled with restaurants, bakeries, and local breweries. Interestingly, the town’s brewery-to-resident ratio is impressive, with one brewery per 2,500 residents. Whether you are craving Mexican, Japanese, juicy burgers or European-style dishes with Swedish meatballs and Bavarian schnitzel, Poulsbo has got you covered!
Don’t miss out on “Vern’s” Pancake Breakfast, held on the first Sunday of every month at Poulsbo Sons of Norway! Enjoy a delicious meal of pancakes with lingonberries, bacon, sausage, and scrambled eggs ($10 per person, kids under five pay only $7).
Things to do in Poulsbo
1. Take a stroll in Historic Downtown Poulsbo
Take a stroll through the colorful historic Downtown Poulsbo. The area is filled with restaurants and shops and resembles a charming Scandinavian town with postcard-looking buildings.
2. Walk along the Poulsbo Waterfront
Visit the Liberty Bay Waterfront Park, where you can spend some time resting on one of the benches or at the picnic tables while soaking up the stunning views of Liberty Bay (the area also has public bathrooms). You can also take a walk along the beautiful Poulsbo Waterfront; there is a paved path along Liberty Bay.
3. Visit Poulsbo Maritime Museum
Visit the Poulsbo Maritime Museum, open daily from 10 am to 4 pm with free admission. The museum offers a glimpse into the rich maritime history of Poulsbo and North Kitsap through its imaginative exhibits and interactive displays.
4. Attend Viking Festival
Poulsbo is proud of its Scandinavian heritage, and images of Vikings all over the city are certainly proving that. Just look at this gorgeous mural in the picture above!
Moreover, for 55 years now, Poulsbo has held the annual Viking Festival to celebrate the Norwegian roots. This 3-day festival features a variety of entertainment, including dancers, musical performers, a bike race, and a parade where you can dress up as a Viking!
Destination #3 – Snoqualmie Falls
Although Seattle is surrounded by three National Parks, we chose to focus our visit on exploring the city itself. However, being nature enthusiasts, we couldn’t resist the temptation to explore some of the local hiking trails. We opted to visit the magnificent Snoqualmie Falls, a 268-foot (82 m) waterfall.
Getting to Snoqualmie Falls
Snoqualmie Falls is located east of Seattle on the Snoqualmie River and is only a 30-minute drive from Seattle.
Dining
There is a cafe inside the Visitor Center, where you can find some pastries and hot beverages. If you are looking for more of a restaurant-type meal, go to The Dining Room at Salish Lodge & Spa, located just a few minutes from the Visitor Center.
Parking and hiking at Snoqualmie Falls
Now, there are two parking lot areas where you leave your car and walk to the waterfalls.
- Snoqualmie Lower Falls Parking Lot is a free parking lot with plenty of space (there is an additional parking area right behind the main one). From here, you will need to take a short (10-15 minutes) walk through Snoqualmie Falls Lower Trail to Snoqualmie Falls Lower Observation Deck, where you can soak in the gorgeous waterfall views from the river level.
- From the Snoqualmie Lower Falls Parking Lot, you can also hike to the Upper parking lot and Higher Observation Deck by taking the Snoqualmie Falls Trail.
- Snoqualmie Falls Gift Shop Parking Lot (the Upper Parking Lot) is an $8 parking lot with very limited parking space (we had to circle the lot out to the road and back three times). This parking area is located right by the Higher Observation Deck. There are actually two observation decks, with one being even higher, both of which are paved at accessible.
Gift Shop and Visitor Center
Check out the small Gift Shop and Visitor Center, where you can grab a bite, coffee, and shop for souvenirs.
